Trystan is an unchosen angel—shunned by society, bullied, and without a future. In a hidden well, Trystan discovers a carving of a dragon, who were once the commanders of demons and now believed extinct. But Trystan learns the carving doesn’t depict an ordinary dragon. Stories tell that millennia ago, the great dragon Asagoroth and his demon army nearly conquered the three realms but was killed by the five elders. The powerful angels combined their life forces to cast a spell, sacrificing their lives.

But history is full of falsehoods. The five elders only managed to imprison the dragon, and Asagoroth had cast his own spell—one of releasement. It only needs the blood of an angel to liberate him from his cage….

Asagoroth, enemy of angels, conqueror of realms, is free. But even as the angels prepare for war, the great dragon surprises them with an ultimatum: hand over the angel who awakened him or face annihilation.

So in this book, the reality is made of three levels. There’s “heaven” where angels live, “Earth; which has no beings” and “Hell” the lower level where demons live.

In heaven, our main character Trystan is called the “unchosen”, Basically he wasn’t picked to be anything. He has no place. So he’s picked on, bullied, even ignored by his parents who are high ranking angels. His only friend is his sister.

Then he falls into a pit and finds a carving of a dragon…and not just any dragon.

The plot was actually very sweet. I really loved it and wanted it to be explored more than it actually was. Trystan was sweet and his great dragon Asa…well, he’s seriously bad and makes no apologies, but his love for Trystan made me go “awwww”. I liked that he acted like a dragon and wasn’t suddenly turned into a weak hero…antihero? Hah. Anyway, cute story, wish it was longer though. Maybe a book 2? eh? EH? 😀

Pack tensions increase, and River and Josiah fear for the safety of their twin girls. When Stone begins campaigning to take River down, Leo must choose sides. Another pack desires to make a trade for omegas. The coyote-shifter Foster yearns for his true mate, while human Jax knows he has to make a decision before the pack turns him out. David determines to keep Brooks from making a bad decision.

Third Mate is the third in the River Wolf Pack series. Unlike the first two books, which focused on one relationship per book, Third Mate follows three relationships, with multiple points of view.

I’ve been a fan of Rebecca’s since reading First Omega, and I’ve absolutely loved the entire series. Third Mate was no exception. Tensions in the River Wolf Pack have been building since book one, and it was interesting to see how that storyline was dealt with, as well as what it meant for Josiah, River, and their daughters. Continuing from book two was the relationship between Jax and David, which somehow managed to get even more complicated before getting better. But I absolutely loved seeing that play out and I was so happy that they were able to find peace and happiness, even if it wasn’t the way they first thought it would be.

The new love story in book three was that of Sam and Leo. I was so pleased to see Sam finally find a place in the pack, especially with someone like Leo. Still, there was a large part of me that wanted Foster to be part of the mix, but I feel like there’s enough grey area that it could be revisited. And if not, then I guess the reader can determine whether Foster found his true mate or if he decided to mate with Leo and Sam.

On top of an excellent plot, the sex scenes were hot as always. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying addition to the River Wolf Pack series.

Alyson

In Second Alpha, Sam was taken into River Wolf Pack after losing his pack. He roamed the woods for months with his brother until his brother was killed by a trap. In Third Mate, Sam has become enamored with grouchy, sexy alpha, Leo. He has a feeling, though, that Leo is in love with Foster, Sam’s best friend. Shy and emotionally vulnerable, Sam tries to keep to himself, but often Foster won’t let him.

Excerpt from Third Mate:

“What’s cooking?” Foster asked. “It smells really good.”

“Lasagna and garlic bread,” Leo answered. “Also salad.”

“I didn’t think you could cook.”

Sam couldn’t help glancing up at that, and he found the alpha looking sheepish.

“Brooks cooked for me.”

“Of course, I did.” Brooks came in from the kitchen, apron still around his waist. “And I’m staying to eat, too.”

Foster grinned at Brooks. “I’m glad you’re here. Do you know if the library has a book on the health of omega shifters?”

Sam had the urge to kick Foster as Leo turned green eyes on Sam.

“Something wrong with your health?” At Leo’s intense scrutiny, Sam’s heart sped up to the point his vision whited out for a moment, and the next thing he knew, strong arms came around him, lowering him onto soft cushions. When Sam’s eyes fluttered open, he almost stopped breathing to find Leo’s face close to his own. “Are you okay?” Leo asked.

Foster’s worried face appeared over Leo’s shoulder. “He hasn’t been eating right.” Foster looked at Brooks. “Do you have a book on it?”

“I don’t think so,” Brooks said. “You’ve seen everything I have on the subject of shifters of any kind. I’ll add it to the list of books I want to get in the city.”

“You’re going to the city?” Leo asked. Sam had heard that after the kidnapping Brooks had said he’d never go back there.

“No. Xavier will go. Or Malcolm.” Brooks looked down at Sam. “I’ll get you some water.” Sam tried to struggle to a sitting position, but Leo’s big hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Rest a minute. How long have you been having dizzy spells?”

There was no way Sam was going to tell the alpha he’d collapsed out of sheer excitement just because Leo had looked at him a certain way. “I’ve only had a few recently.”

“Do I have to come over and make you eat every day?” Leo asked, and Sam had a sudden vision of the alpha force-feeding him something that wasn’t food. He swallowed audibly, and caught Foster’s knowing smile over Leo’s shoulder.

“I think he’d like that,” Foster said. Fuck, Sam was going to beat Foster’s ass when they got home. He settled for a scowl for now. It didn’t seem to worry Foster too much. Brooks came back with the water, and Leo helped Sam sit up before moving away.

Foster took his place on the couch. “Feeling better?”

Sam nodded. “I just need to eat, I guess.”

“Well, it’s ready, so let’s dig in,” Brooks said, leading the way into the dining room.

It wasn’t difficult for Sam to eat the entire portion given him; the food was delicious. He tried to resist, though, when Foster pushed seconds onto his plate.

“Come on. Be a good boy and eat it all up.” Foster grinned at Sam, and Sam saw Leo watching him. How could Foster be so oblivious to the alpha’s interest? Sam took a bite of lasagna to appease his friend, but as soon as Foster began talking to Brooks, Sam put his fork down and drank his water instead. That is, until Leo growled. With a sigh, Sam took another bite of lasagna.

“How come you asked us to dinner?” Foster asked Leo. “Sick of the food in the dining hall?”

Leo looked uncomfortable. “Not at all. I just thought…” He glanced at Brooks. “Brooks could use some practice in the kitchen.”

“Oh, well, thanks for inviting us.” Foster shoved a large forkful of salad into his mouth and chewed, missing the eye roll Brooks gave Leo. So Leo had enlisted his friend’s help in impressing Foster. Figured. Sam was just the necessary tag-along.

“Will you guys be staying in the guest bungalow permanently?” Brooks asked Foster and Sam.

“I think River said he was going to have something a little smaller built for us, unless we want our own places,” Foster said. “I think we’ll stay together, though.”

“Oh?” Brooks looked with interest between Foster and Sam. “It’s like that, is it?”

Sam wondered at the fact he didn’t deny it. Leo looked apoplectic, and Brooks seemed to be trying to hide a smile.

“Dessert anyone?” Brooks asked.

Sam moaned at the very thought of more food. He leaned back in his chair and held his stomach. “I’m stuffed.”

“What did you make?” Foster asked.

“Strawberry shortcake.”

“I definitely want some.” Foster looked at Sam. “We can share.”

Sam had every intention of refusing a bite, but when Foster held out the forkful of fluffy cake, dripping with red strawberry juice and whipped cream, he found himself opening his mouth to take it in, eyes fluttering shut as his lips closed around the fork. When he felt the fork slide from his mouth, he opened his eyes to see three pairs staring at him. “What?” Sam licked whipped cream from his lips.

Leo abruptly stood and mumbled something about having to use the bathroom.

Dr Gray Davis is looking for a peaceful, sun-filled holiday on a remote island, but then she meets Beau Pickford. The attraction is immediate.

Unfortunately for them, Brody Douglas is also on holiday, and a stone carving he finds by the river makes him sick—sick enough to kill him. But when he awakens, he’s not who he was before, and Gray and Beau find they have to fight for their lives and a way off the island.

A really enjoyable and almost light take on a horror story. When I first began reading I thought it was going to be a typical lesbian love story, how wrong was I!

This tale develops into quite a gripping tale that keeps the readers interest with interesting characters, at times horrifying graphics, but at all times tongue in cheek.

It was really good to read a satisfying love story with just a different edge.

The different characters balanced each other out and the added comic element were a bonus. The ending was positive and not over the top. A good and colourful read.

Chris

Gray Davis settled back into her seat and sighed. She closed her eyes, shutting out the low, excited hum of the passengers around her. She had been waiting for this holiday for months. Last year, she finally qualified as a GP and taken up a position in a busy surgery in West London. Gray loved her job, but lately it seemed like she hadn’t done anything except work. When the weekends came, she was too exhausted to go out with her friends. As a result, her love life was pretty barren as well. Gray’s best friend, Julia, finally staged an intervention. One Sunday morning, she had forced her way into Gray’s flat with an armload of travel brochures.

“Gray, I’m not leaving until you book one of these.”

Gray picked up the first one on the stack. “Sapphic Cruises? No chance.”

Julia simply sat down on Gray’s sofa, smiled sweetly, and leaned back with her hands behind her head. “Pick something, or I will beat you to death with the entire stack. I got on the tube with those. They’re bloody heavy.”

“I don’t need a holiday. I’m fine.” Gray plonked down on the sofa opposite Julia. She knew she was acting like a moody teenager.

“Gray, nobody has seen you in months. You haven’t had a girlfriend in what, three years? You’ve probably closed up down there.”

Gray laughed at the serious look on her friend’s face. “That’s not possible. Besides, I don’t want a girlfriend. I don’t even have time for a goldfish.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Julia leaned forward and clasped her friend’s hands gently. “I know your career is important to you, but you have to slow down, Gray. Take some time to come out with us once in a while. And,” she gestured at the brochures, “book a fucking holiday.”

Defeated, Gray sat back and perused the glossy covers, shuffling them like a deck of large cards. She was exhausted. She’d been working non-stop for months at the new practice, hoping that by putting in the hours, it wouldn’t be too long before she was made a partner.

She’d been working towards this for such a long time. Being a partner would mean sharing in the surgery’s profits, as well as the added responsibility of hiring and managing staff. Not to mention the even longer hours. Maybe she did need a trip.

Gray stopped when one brochure caught her eye. On the front, a group of smiling women were holding hands as a blazing sun set behind them over a sparkling clear sea. She sensed Julia looking expectantly at her. “Why are they all LGBT travel brochures?”

“I told you. You need a break, and you need to give your vagina a spring cleaning. Two birds, one stone.”

Gray snorted with laughter and opened it.

So, here she was, on a plane, waiting for it to take her off to an island in the Caribbean. She glanced at the two empty seats next to her and then up the aisle where a couple more people made their way down, she wondered if she might get lucky enough to have all three seats to herself. Grinning, she closed her eyes and leaned back again.

Gray willed her mind to shut down and relax, even though it kept returning to work. Julia was right, she did need a holiday. The practice manager wasn’t thrilled at the idea of her taking time off. When Gray told her, she pursed her lips as if she were sucking a lemon and said, “You’ve only been here five minutes, and you want time off already?”

Gray tried not to let her thoughts run away with her. She was good at inventing disaster scenarios. Her biggest fear since booking was when she came back and they told her they’d picked another doctor for the partner position. It was unlikely, and if it did happen, there were plenty of other places she could work—even go in as a partner without the probationary period this surgery required. Even so, it didn’t stop her worrying. She liked it there, and it had a good reputation.

She wished she hadn’t let Julia badger her into it if she was going to spend the whole two weeks stressing about her job.

Gray must have drifted off, because she woke suddenly as someone huffed down into the seat beside her. She felt a strong leg press against hers and a sharp elbow in her side.

“Oh shit, sorry.”

Gray opened her eyes and sat up, annoyed. Typical that she would be sat next to the person who thought they deserved more space than everyone else. “Can’t you be a bit more careful? You’re right over on my side.”

“Sorry, sorry. These seats are so small. Once we take off, I’ll move into the aisle seat, I promise.”

Gray turned to look at the woman next to her, about to ask that she at least move her leg, when she stopped, unable to speak. Oh my God, she’s gorgeous. The woman was tall and muscular. Her thick brown hair was cut short and framed a face with cheekbones most models would die for. Her full mouth widened into a cocky grin that said stare away, I’m used to it.

It was the grin that helped Gray find her voice. Out of all the seats on the plane, she was the one stuck next to the lesbian Lothario. Refusing to give her the satisfaction, Gray flicked her eyes over the handsome woman dismissively. “Thank you.” Turning away, she felt the woman put a gentle hand on her arm. It tingled in the place where they touched. Gray smelled something citrusy and fresh as she leaned close.

“I’m Beau Pickford, by the way. What’s your name?”

She thought about making up a name for the hell of it. Beau Pickford was still pressed against her, and it was annoying. Although, in all fairness, the seats were small. “Gray Davis.”

Alonso Darlington has a disturbing method of keeping landscaper, Reese Chambers, both safe from and oblivious to his dangerous lust for the man. But Reese isn’t easy to keep secrets from, and Alonso wants way more than to admire the man from afar. Can he risk a real relationship without risking Reese’s life?

Note: Landscapes has been previously released as part of the Brit Boys: On Boys boxed set.

This short story packed a wild punch and yet entailed a full story. What happens when you combine a vampire, a succubus and a landscaper? One fantastic and holy hotness story! I was captured from the first paragraph with my heart racing, not knowing what was happening. This is definitely not a normal romance. You may feel as though the romance is forced through what Alfonso does, but knowing that Reese stands up when he knows he was used, makes it all worth it. Alonso was mysterious who lived in the dark. It did break my heart to know his backstory in which we learn through Talia. It was a good twist with the succubus, Talia. Reese was the gorgeous landscaper that Alonso cannot stop thinking about. Reese had the kindest heart. Being openly honest and nonjudgmental wins out and love can be obtained.

Private detective Ronan Bayne is a former cop who now runs his own agency specializing in all things paranormal. After several women have gone missing, Ronan gets called in by the police chief.

Dustin McPherson is a psychic who’s worked with the police in the past. After having a vision of one of the missing women, he meets Ronan. Together, they must solve a case more complicated than either of them expected.

n Blood Visions, we have a detective and a psychic teaming up together to solve a mystery about missing women. Detective Ronan meets Dustin, the man who’s been having dreams about the women, and of course the attraction is there. It was difficult to rate this so I decided to give it a three. I liked the characters, the mystery and plot line was okay. It was kinda just set up so these two could be together, which I’m all for. I was kinda expecting more from it, but I started reading this with way too much expectations, so my fault. I have a thing for detectives. Heh.

Cookie

It was too real to just be one of his nightmares. Dustin had learned to tell the difference between his dreams and a vision while he was asleep by the age of twelve, and he is twenty-one now. Dustin sits up in bed carefully, his head swimming a little, his ears still ringing with the girl’s heart-wrenching sobs.

He gets out of bed and goes to the bathroom. He takes some Tylenol out of the cabinet and washes it down with a glass of water. He hopes that will help with his headache, and he won’t have to take the tramadol his doctor has given him.

Dustin looks at himself in the mirror above his sink. He looks pale even for him, and sweaty. His dyed purple hair is matted, some of it slicked down, stuck to his head, and other bits are sticking up wildly. The whites of his bright blue eyes are a little bloodshot, but there is no blood below his nose this time, so that’s something.

Splashing some water on his face to try to wake himself up a little, Dustin dries off his face with a towel, and then heads back to his bedroom. Dustin sits on the edge of his bed and pulls out the sketchbook he keeps there, and the charcoal.

He starts sketching the girl from memory. He can remember what she looked like, but Dustin can’t remember anything about the room she had been in, only that it was dark and cold. She’d been chained up; her wrists were bleeding. Dustin had been able to feel her fear; she’d been terrified.

Jeremy’s always looked after his little brother, Callum, and it’s his responsibility to make sure he’s safe. When Callum wanders too far into the woods, and finds himself at the mercy of two wolf shifters, Jeremy’s forced to act quickly.

It’s not ideal waking up in a strange house, with two shifters that scare him more than he’ll admit, but it’s temporary. Or it should be, until Jeremy realises getting rid of the wolves is far easier said than done.

This was a cute story. More of a young adult read than romance, although it had a romantic theme. This is more about opposites attract and learning to just be who you are.

The story flowed well. There wasn’t much if any drama, unless you wanted to count Callum, the younger brother of Jeremy. Towards the end though, Callum explains why he does what he does and it all makes sense and you melt a little for Callum. Jeremy was pretty much in his cat form the whole story (for a very good reason), and his best friend Duke is human. Not being able to converse while Jeremy was in cat form, their conversations at times made me giggle. Sam who is a wolf shifter, was such a young gentleman that my heart tugged for him even before he mentions his family and growing up. I wanted Sam and Jeremy to have their HEA and I wasn’t disappointed.

This was a short simple story of boy meets boy, boy likes boy, boy gets his boy, and they live happily ever after without drama. There were no kissing or physical scenes. The ending (a span of 7 years) was quite rushed and was told in 3 short paragraphs. It did make you smile and giggle though.

~Keri

This turned out to be a really good short story. It is a definitely a book about opposites attract. And add in the fact that it is about shifters and you have a winner.

Jeremy is a shifter bob cat that follows his parents rules and tries not to rock the boat when they say not to do something. His little brother Callum is the opposite and does whatever he feels like doing which usually lands them both in trouble cause being a good big brother Jeremy will not leave his brother behind or left to get hurt. That is exactly how they meet Thom and Sam.

Thom and Sam are shifter wolfs and Jeremy’s parents have always told the boys to stay away from them because shifter wolves are dangerous. Stay out of the woods because shifter wolves are territorial. But Callum being Callum does not heed the warning and that is where the trouble begins and how all four boys meet. While I guess I should say five boys because Duke (Jeremy’s best friend) meets the wolf shifters because of Callum doing what he was not supposed to do.

This was a very interesting story because it is the perfect example of when a boy likes a boy he picks on said boy to show him he likes him. It is such a cute story and I really enjoyed it. It was very refreshing. For a while I wondered who was going to end up a couple in the end but I was very pleased with the way it turned out. Very good short story.

~Tosha

Fall has an interesting premise and great potential in the beginning. But there were things about the book that turned me off the further I got into it.

I was engaged right away by the unique start to the potential romance between Jeremy and Sam. There were some great moments along the way – some cute, some romantic, some moving.

But the story moved along very slowly, and it was hard to stay interested. Things pick up near the end, but then the actual ending feels very abrupt. I feel like if the first half of the book was condensed and the ending was fleshed out, then this would be a great story.

If you’re looking for a unique paranormal romance you might like this book. As there is no sexual content, I wouldn’t recommend this to someone looking for an erotic romance.

A vampire mage, a Romani young man, and a forbidden love that won’t be denied.

Lord Taliesin Solitaire was born albino, cursed mute by the fey, and betrayed by a vampire lover. For two hundred years the vampire mage has vowed never to love again and has only used sex as a means to a meal. Until a palm-reading gypsy finds himself in peril and Taliesin can’t resist rescuing the beautiful young man.

Pesha is the eldest but smallest son of King Vaida Sinclair, the oppressive ruler of the Kåle Romani Compania. Deemed impure by his father, Pesha is shunned and mistreated by his band and six half-brothers, and one brother in particular wants him dead. His pale, silent savior gives him safety, security and a love he never could have imagined. As Pesha falls in love with his handsome white knight, his half-brother does the unthinkable.

Can Taliesin rescue Pesha from the cruel clutches of his half-brother a second time?

Sleight of Heart is an entertaining and heartwarming story. Both Taliesin and Pesha have good depth and character. Their romance is sweet and sexy.

Including terms from the Romanes dialect is an interesting choice and definitely makes this book stand out. But I found, especially in the first half, that it took away from the story instead of enhancing it. A bit of translation early on would have helped me to understand it better. Instead, some parts were awkward and confusing.

This is a good introduction to an intriguing world. I can see lots of potential for this series, and I’d like to see what happens next. That said, I think this book does also stand alone quite well, with only a few unanswered questions.

On the whole I enjoyed this story and the characters. I recommend this for someone looking for a unique take on an urban paranormal and fantasy romance.

*I received an unedited copy, and my review assumes that the errors will be corrected prior to publication. I received a free copy of this book to read for Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.*